41. Part Two — 21

1I swear by God, should the traveller in the path of salvation and the seeker for the summits of righteousness attain to this supreme and lofty state, he will inhale the fragrance of the True One from remote distances (lit. parasangs) and discern the brilliant morn of guidance from the Day-spring of All Things. Every atom and object will direct him to the Beloved and the Desired One. He will become so discerning that he will distinguish truth from falsehood as the sun from shadow. For example; if the breeze of truth should blow forth from the east of creation, he will surely inhale it in the west of emanation. Likewise he will distinguish all the signs of the True One such as wonderful words, incomparable deeds and brilliant actions from the deeds, actions and traces of all else, just as the jeweller distinguishes the gem from stone, and man the spring from autumn and heat from cold. When the head of the soul is purified from the ailment (lit. cold) of the contingent and existent, it will unfailingly discover the fragrance of the Beloved from distant stations, arrive at the city of the assurance of His Highness the Beneficent, through the effect of this fragrance, and behold the wonders of the Wisdom of His Highness the Most Holy, in that spiritual city. It will detect the hidden knowledges from the forms of the leaves of the tree of that city, hear the glorification and praise of the Lord of Lords from its soil, with the outward and inward ears, and perceive the mysteries of " advent " and " return " with the outward eye. What shall We mention of the signs, tokens, appearances and splendors ordained in that city, by the command of the King of Names and Attributes! It quencheth thirst without water, and increaseth the heat of the love of God without fire. The ideal consummate Wisdom is hidden in every plant, and a thousand nightingales of speech are in ecstasy and rapture upon every rose branch. The mystery of the fire of Moses is revealed in its wonderful tulips, and the breath of the Holy Spirit of Jesus emanates from its fragrances of holiness. It bestows wealth without gold and grants immortality without death. A paradise is concealed in every leaf, and a hundred thousand wisdoms are treasured in every one of its chambers. Those who earnestly endeavor in the way of God, after severance from all else, will become so attached to that city that they will not abandon it for an instant. They will hear conclusive proofs from the hyacinth of that assembly and will receive clear arguments from the beauty of the rose and the melody of the nightingale. This city is renewed and adorned every one thousand years, more or less. Therefore O my friend, we must make an effort to attain to that city and remove the veils of glory, through Divine favors and Lordly compassion, so that we may sacrifice the withered soul in the path of the New Beloved, and show forth a hundred thousand supplications and humiliations in order to be favored with that attainment. This city is none other than the " Divine Book " in every age. For instance, in the age of Moses it was the Pentateuch; in the time of Jesus, the Gospel; in the day of Mohammed the Messenger of God, the Koran; in this age, the Beyan; and in the Day of " Him whom God shall send forth," His Book, which is the return of all the Books and their guardian. In these cities, sustenance is provided and eternal blessings are appointed. They bestow spiritual food and provide pre-existent benefit. They confer the wealth of Unity upon the people of abstraction, bestow a portion upon the portionless, and favor the wanderers in the desert of ignorance with the cup of Knowledge. In these cities are treasured and deposited the guidance, favor, knowledge, understanding, faith and assurance of all in the heavens and earth.

2For example; the Koran was a solid stronghold for the people of the Messenger, and those who entered therein in His day were protected from the assault of devils, the spear of opposers, uprooting doubts, and polytheistic suggestions. They also partook of the pure fruits of Unity and the crop of Wisdom from the Divine Tree; drank from the rivers of the incorruptible water of Knowledge and tasted the wine of the mysteries of Oneness and Singleness.

3All the requirements of that people, such as the precepts of the religion and the law of the Lord of the Messengers, were supplied and determined in that manifest Rizwan. It was a lasting proof for its adherents after the Point of the Koran, for its decree is sound, its command unfailing, and all have been enjoined to obey it until the new Manifestation in the year "sixty." It leads seekers to the Rizwan of Union and causes endeavorers and emigrants to reach the tent of Nearness. It is a valid evidence and mighty proof, while others, such as books, records and traditions have not this excellence; for the words and existence of traditions and their authors are proven and confirmed by the text of the Book. Moreover, in the traditions discrepancies are many and obscurities are numberless.

4At the end of His mission, the Point of the Koran said: "Verily, I leave two weights among you; the Book of God and my Family" (the Twelve Imams).

5Although many traditions were revealed from that source of Prophethood and mine of Guidance, yet He mentioned only the Book, appointing it the greatest means and weightiest proof for the seekers; a guide for the servants until the day of resurrection.

6Consider with the eye of justice, with a pure heart and chaste soul, what God hath established as a proof for His servants' knowledge, in His Book, which is accepted by both high and low, so that this servant, you, and all in the earth, relying upon its light, may distinguish and separate truth from falsehood, guidance from error. For the proof hath been restricted to two things, the Book and the Family. As to the Family, it hath passed away; so the proof is confined to the Book.